For 8-14 years-oldNo. 3

OCEAN AND CLIMATE – PLANKTON UP CLOSETHE ASTONISHING WORLD OF CORAL – PLASTIC IN THE OCEANS?

Get your poster of the Tara

Puzzles, games and scientific experiments

to do at home!

JOIN THE TARANAUTS AND

DO YOUR BIT FOR THE OCEAN!

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TA R AJ U N I O R .O R G

All Aboard the Tara!

Tara NewsJ U N I O R

1 - SALOONThis is the living room, the largest space aboard. In here we eat meals and work, but it’s also a place to get together, relax and have fun.

2 - ENGINE ROOMIf there’s no wind to drive the boat along we can always fire up the engines. They are big and noisy and make the engine room the hottest place aboard. Poor old engineer!

3 - AFTERDECKThis is where the scientists work. They collect water and organisms which they filter and turn into samples, ready for analysis.

4 - DRY LABORITORYThanks to all the machines in the lab the scientists can take photos of the plankton and measure water temperature, salinity and pH* throughout the trip.

Tara News Junior No. 3 TA R AJ U N I O R .O R G - 32

THE MISSIONHealthy oceans are essential for the future of our planet. The Tara enables scientists

to sail across the world. Together they study oceans,

marine animals and plants to better understand them and

better protect them.

ID CARD

NAME - LAUNCHEDTara – 1989

TYPEcentre-board schooner

LENGTH – BEAM36 metres – 10 metres

DISPLACEMENT130 tonnes

PURPOSEresearch vessel

KEY FIGURES

10expeditions undertaken by the Tara since 2003.

330,000 kilometres sailed by the Tara (equal to

eight voyages around the world).

35,000plankton samples collected during the

expedition Tara Oceans.

40nationalities of scientists have sailed on the Tara. 7 - WHEELHOUSE

This is the captain’s domain. It contains all the controls for driving the schooner and the VHF radio for talking to other boats.

8 - CABINSTwo beds per cabin, a bunk above and a bunk below.When it’s stormy be careful not to fall out of the top bunk!

5 - HEADS AND SHOWERS When they have a shower crew members use environmentally friendly soap and shampoo to limit pollution. Even the loo paper is biodegradable and gets dropped into a special bin.

6 - FOREHOLDLots of equipment gets stowed in here, such as the emergency anchor, as well as the samples of plankton, seawater and coral collected by the scientists. A very important part of the forehold is the food store.

* Acidity or alkalinity level

WHO’S ON THE TARA?

6 sailors including 1 captain, 1 cook,

1 correspondent, 7 scientists and 1 artist.

ÉTIENNE’S EDITORIALI was lucky enough to discover the sea very early thanks to my grandfather and parents. They were passionate about the ocean and passed that on to me. And now it’s my turn because I’d like to share with you my passion for the beauty and mystery of these vast expanses – our heritage – of which so little is known and protected. Yes, despite its vastness, the Ocean is in danger. For the last thirteen years the scientists and team working with the Tara have been supporting research programmes that improve our knowledge of the world’s seas so we can better protect them.I am delighted to be able to share this marvellous adventure with you.

Étienne, chairman of the Tara Expeditions Foundation

a) heads, b) aluminium, c) 10

Find the answers!

A) What is the nautical name for a boat’s toilet?

B) What is the hull of the Tara made of?

C) How many expeditions has the Tara done since 2003?

Scan the QR code with your smartphone or tablet to get

more information, watch videos... There’s a new one on every page!

Did you know?The Tara isn’t just an ordinary boat. For a start she is made of aluminium, a very lightweight metal that, unlike steel, does not rust when it comes into contact with seawater. Thanks to the shape of her hull – flat and rounded – the Tara is unaffected by the pressure of sea ice. When the ice closes in she rises to the surface and thus avoids getting stuck or, worse, crushed!

Martin, captain of the Tara

Did you know?The Tara is a ‘schooner’ because her foremast (nearest the bow) and her mainmast (nearest the stern) are exactly the same height, a whopping twenty-seven metres!

Sam, captain of the Tara

See photos and videos of the Tara - bit.ly/mediathequephotostara Take a virtual tour - bit.ly/visitevirtuelletara

© A.Deniaud / Tara Expeditions Foundation

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Welcome Aboard!

CLIMATE

Tara News Junior No. 34 TA R AJ U N I O R .O R G - 5

2006 - 2008

TARA ARCTIC For 507 days the Tara drifted around the North Pole in the Arctic ice pack. During their adventure the crew studied the atmosphere, the ice and the ocean.

2014

TARA MEDITERRANEANThe Tara looked at the microplastic littering the Mediterranean Sea.Ninety percent of pollution in the Med comes from the land.

2009 - 2013

TARA OCEANSThe Tara sailed around the world

to make an inventory of drifting micro-organisms: plankton.

Over 35,000 samples of animal and plant

plankton were collected!

2016 - 2018

TARA PACIFIC

The Tara studies the coral reefs of the Pacific Ocean. These reefs are home to a great diversity of marine species

and currently under serious threat from climate warming.

OCEAN - SIZED WATER DISTRIBUTOR

THE OCEAN RECYCLES SOME OF THE CO2 , AND PRODUCES OXYGEN ( O2 )

THE OCEAN STORES SOLAR ENERGY AND REGULATES TEMPERATURE

THE OCEAN STORES SOLAR ENERGY AND REGULATES TEMPERATURE.THANKS TO THE OCEAN AND ITS CURRENTS, HEAT CIRCULATES AND SPREADS ACROSS THE WORLD.WITHOUT THE OCEAN IT WOULD BE EVEN COLDER AT THE POLES AND HOTTER AT THE EQUATOR!

THE OCEAN ABSORBS 30 % OF CO2 EMISSIONS FROM HUMAN ACTIVITIES

Arctic North Pole

A n t a r c t i c S o u t h Po l e

FOLLOW IRMA ON A VOYAGE TO DISCOVER THE WATER CYCLE!

WHY IS THE OCEAN SO IMPORTANT?

Knowing the Ocean is all about understanding the future of our planet, and that’s the mission of the

scientists aboard the Tara.

Xavier, education officer

Did you know?Of all the water on our planet 97.4% of it is in the oceans. Polar glaciers contain exactly 1.9% of the water available on Earth. Rivers, lakes and other waterways account for a mere 0.01%!

OVERHEATING!

a) the water cycle, b) oil

Find the answers!

A) What do we call the

journey a raindrop makes

around the world?

B) What does plankton at

the bottom of the oceans

become?

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Discover all the expeditions - bit.ly/expeditionstara Watch videos of the Ocean - bit.ly/lesdessousoceans

Ocean and climate;inseparable friends!

The Great Tara Expeditions

BIODIVERSITY

Tara News Junior No. 36 TA R AJ U N I O R .O R G - 7

Anna Deniaud Garcia

The whiteness of the ice pack’s surface reflects the Sun’s rays into the atmosphere and space.* This means heat is not stored in the water or the land, and a comfortable temperature for humans is maintained.Unfortunately in recent years the extent of the ice cap recedes significantly in the summer months and this leads to the ocean absorbing the Sun’s heat and, as a result, the overall temperature of our planet is increasing.

> WHY IS THIS REGION SO IMPORTANT FOR THE BALANCE OF THE EARTH’S CLIMATE?

> MUCH OF THE OCEAN IS UNKNOWN TO US, WE KNOW LESS ABOUT IT THAN THE MOON.SO WHAT DO WE KNOW? THE MORE WE LEARN, THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING ITS BIODIVERSITY.

" At our anchorage we would see groups of

penguins hopping out of the sea onto the beach, while others would be setting off

to fish for food. It never stopped. "

Vincent Hilaire

" Every time a marine mammal appeared alongside the schooner we Taranauts

rushed up on deck to watch them and enjoy

the unique moment. "

Noëlie Pansiot

" Each spring guillemots and gulls return to their nesting sites in Tikhaya Bay, Franz Josef Land. They stay all through the

summer until their chicks are ready to fly away. "

> DURING THE EXPEDITION TARA ARCTIC SCIENTISTS LOOKED CLOSELY AT THE REGION AROUND THE NORTH POLE, THE ARCTIC. THEY STUDIED:- Thickness This provides information on why and how quickly the ice accumulates or melts.- Age New ice thickens to almost two metres in its first year, whereas ‘old’ ice can be as much as three or four metres thick, and it’s not so salty.

What is biodiversity?

- Drift The crew measured the speed of the ice pack as it drifted with marine currents and the wind, and took readings in the atmosphere above the ice pack (wind speed, temperature, humidity).

- Salinity Seawater is saltier in some places than in others! Salinity can also vary over time. For example, when the sea freezes it sheds salt so the water under the ice pack is saltier than normal.

Two special members of the expedition, Zagrey and Tiksi, provided some canine company for the crew. The dogs’ job was to carry equipment and, especially, to warn of the approach of those beautiful but very dangerous lords of the ice pack, the polar bears.

It’s the variety of all the living things, such as humans, plants, animals and even bacteria, that inhabit our world. We can look at diversity in a number of ways:– Often we think of it in terms of species: fish, birds, crustaceans, and so on.– We can also focus on the diversity within a particular species. For example, we humans are not all the same height and we have different colour hair and eyes.– Finally, we can enlarge our viewpoint to include a particular ecosystem, perhaps a beach, a forest, a cold or warm sea…These considerations allow us to describe the biodiversity of a very specific location or alternatively a vast area.

" In the pastel-coloured setting of the iceberg

appeared a polar bear and her two cubs. We were all very moved to see one of

the cubs suckling its mother. "

Find the answers!A) Where did the Tara end up during the expedition Tara Arctic?

B) Which large animal roams upon the snowy Arctic wastes?

a) on the ice pack, b) polar bears

CHILLY!

Did you know?The ice pack is the frozen surface of the sea. Glaciers on the other hand are made of snow that piles up on land. Have a look at the experiment on the back of the poster to learn more. The schooner Tara spent eighteen months trapped in the drifting ice. A century earlier the Norwegian expedition ship Fram made the same journey but it took her twice as long! It goes to show the ice is indeed shrinking.

IT’S TRUE!

Hervé, oceanographer

THE TARA SITTING ON THE ICE PACK © B.Vienne / Tara Expeditions Foundation

TAKING A CORE SAMPLE OF THE ICE PACK © F.Latreille / Tara Expeditions Foundation

© Brigitte Sabard

© A.Deniaud / Tara Expeditions Foundation

© V.Hilaire / Tara Expeditions Foundation

© V.Hilaire / Tara Expeditions Foundation

MEASURING WIND SPEED WITH HELP FROM A BALLOON © F.Latreille / Tara Expeditions Foundation

DEPLOYING THE PROBE FOR MEASURING SEA TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY© F.Latreille / Tara Expeditions Foundation

ON THE ICE PACK DOGS WARN OF APPROACHING POLAR BEARS © F.Bernard / Tara Expeditions Foundation

* This is known as ‘albedo’ (dark surfaces absorb more heat).

The Tara Arctic youth website - bit.ly/taraarcticeducation Video: polar bear and her cubs - bit.ly/taraourseetpetits

In the ArcticIce Pack!

The oceans are teeming with life!

CLIMATE

BIODIVERSITYBIODIVERSITY

Tara News Junior No. 3 TA R AJ U N I O R .O R G - 98

A NEW SPECIES OF CORAL DISCOVERED DURING THE EXPEDITION TARA OCEANS!Echinophyllia tarae – tarae refers to the Tara – is the name given to this coral species found in the Gambier Islands. It lives at a depth of between 5 and 20 metres.

CORAL, A HUGE FAMILY OF 1,400 SPECIES!

PLANKTON IN PICTURES

SOME BASICS FACTS ABOUT PLANKTONPlankton comprises all the organisms, both plants and animals, that live in seawater. They drift along with the Ocean’s currents. Animal plankton is called ‘zooplankton’ and plant plankton is called ‘phytoplankton’

THE CORAL REEF, AN UNDERWATER OASIS

Numerous marine animals live on and around a coral reef. Fish hide among its structures to escape a predator or lay their eggs. Coral supplies food for certain species. The reef protects the adjoining coast from sea swell and storm waves.

A question for biologist Chris Bowler:

> WHAT HAVE YOU DISCOVERED ABOUT PLANKTON THANKS TO THE EXPEDITION TARA OCEANS?

Coral under threat!Currently 72% of coral reefs are under threat from climate warming, ocean acidification, man-made pollution and overfishing.

Coral is a marine animal which lives in colonies and is mostly found in warm seas.It belongs to the Cnidaria family which also includes sea anemones and jellyfish.Coral builds a skeleton from calcium carbonate which develops into a reef.

CORAL AND ZOOXANTHELLA, A TRAGIC LOVE STORY

What plankton do for our planet

PLANKTON IS THE BASIS OF THE FOOD CHAIN

PLANT PLANKTON ABSORBS CO2 AND EMITS OXYGEN IN THE SAME WAY PLANTS ON LAND DO, THROUGH PHOTOSYNTHESIS

> TINY OCEAN CREATURES THAT MAKE A GIGANTIC DIFFERENCE!

Thanks to the 35,000 samples collected during the expedition, and in particular those collected in the layer of water at the surface which sunlight can penetrate (the ‘photic zone’ extends to a depth of about 100 metres), we have discovered several hundreds of thousands of species of protists* and bacteria, and virus populations!

We studied how they interact with each other and how environmental conditions (currents, temperature) affect their lives.All these discoveries should help us understand how the ocean might change in the future!

1-

3-

2-

4-

Find the answers!

A) What does plant

plankton produce?

B) What do all

types of plankton

have in common?

c) How many organisms

does a litre of seawater

contain?

a) oxygen, B) they drift with the

current, C) 100 billion

Did you know?The first living organisms to appear were plankton. Life on Earth started with them! One litre of seawater can contain up to a hundred billion organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, protists, and fish larvae.

Eric, scientific director

STRAIGHT OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION!

Did you know?Corals compete with other species, such as algae and sponges. They jostle for space and favourable living conditions, in particular access to sunlight.

Serge, coral specialist

Find the answers!

A) What’s the name of the alga that lives in coral?

B) Where did the team of the Tara discover a new coral?

a) zooxanthella, b) gambier Islands

1- CORALS CLOSE UP © A.Amiel / Kahikai

2- CORAL COLONY © L.Thiault

3- CORAL FIELDS © L.Thiault

4- ECHINOPHYLLIA TARAE © F.Benzoni

Video of the Tara among the corals - bit.ly/taraoceanscorailPlankton chronicles - bit.ly/chroniquesplanctons

Chris, biologist ©Tara Expeditions* Single cell organisms that are neither animal nor vegetable.

DIATOM © C.Sardet / CNRS / Tara Expeditions Foundation

CTENOPHORE © C and N.Sardet / Tara Expeditions Foundation

PTEROPODS AND COPEPODS © C.Sardet / Tara Expeditions Foundation

BLUE COPEPOD © N.LeBescot / Tara Expeditions Foundation

Plankton Up Close Coral, a very unusual beast

PLASTIC

Tara News Junior No. 3 TA R AJ U N I O R .O R G - 1110

RISK No. 1: Turtles, dolphins, whales, birds and other marine animals can mistake plastic waste for food and swallow it. Once in the stomach, items such as bags, lighters and cotton buds may cause serious health problems and even death.

RISK No. 2: As plastic drifts around the Ocean it absorbs pollutants like a sponge sucks in water. Plankton swallow these tiny fragments of plastic and, of course, any toxic compounds they might have picked up. When fish eat the plankton they too become contaminated. And who eats fish? We do!

RISK No. 3: Certain bacteria use plastic waste like miniature rafts and float away from where they originated. If they are carrying disease, they have the potential to contaminate marine species throughout the world.

Plastic in the sea: the risks

A question for oceanographer Jean-François Ghiglione.

COULD MARINE BACTERIA HELP US COMBAT PLASTIC POLLUTION?

MANAGING DIRECTORDirecting operations from the shore, the MD is in permanent contact with the captain and the scientific director to ensure the expedition goes according to plan.

ENGINEERThis mariner spends much of the expedition in the engine room.A ship’s engineer looks after the main engines and the auxiliaries which generate electricity for the systems aboard.

If the Tara is to complete her missions with success, she requires the help of various professionals. In the beginning there was an architect who drafted the plans for the welders and joiners to build her.Her scientific research at sea requires not only a sailing crew but also a support group ashore.The Tara really is team work!

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTVideo, photo and text are the special correspondent’s tools for telling the story of every expedition.This information is distributed through the website of the Tara.

Find the answers!

A) For how many days did the Tara drift with the Arctic ice pack in 2006–2008?

B) Who directs land operations for the Tara?

OCEAN OR PLASTIC SOUP?

CAPTAINEveryone must obey the skipper! In addition to sailing and maintaining the schooner, the captain is also responsible for keeping order aboard and ensuring the crew’s safety. Several captains take it in turns to command the Tara.You aren’t born a skipper, you become one!

ARTISTProvide a fresh perspective on the expedition and the regions visited, that’s the artist’s job. Total immersion into the world of the Tara is a catalyst for creating, painting, sculpting...

COOKKeeping the food store well-stocked and the crew’s bellies full is the cook’s concern. Good cuisine not only keeps everyone healthy it also maintains a happy atmosphere aboard!SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR

The director of the research team determines where the ship will carry out scientific work.He directs sampling operations and also takes part in processing them.

Home to a multitude of plant and animal species, the Ocean is in recent years having to contend with an increasing population of… plastic! Man-made pollution is a big problem. Plastic waste now contaminates every sea in the world, indeed, the Tara even found some in the Arctic and the Antarctic! Since 2011 the Tara has been studying this type of pollution, in particular during the expedition Tara Mediterranean.

Scientists have discovered that marine bacteria break down plastic. By eating the bacteria they turn the plastic into something else and, therefore, partially destroy it. However digesting, for example, a plastic bag takes bacteria 100 to 400 years. That’s much too slow!

SCIENCE MEDIATORLove science! That’s the message of the science mediator who acts as a bridge between scientists and schoolchildren from across the world. With simple words and fun activities, the mediator explains to classes the scientific work undertaken on the Tara.

EDUCATION OFFICERMission: bring the work and discoveries of the Tara to as many teachers, students and classrooms as possible.

Did you know?At night, the sailors take it in turns to look after the ship while the rest of the crew are sleeping. Each ‘watch’ lasts 4 hours.

François, deck officer

Did you know?The media often talks about a ‘plastic island’ in the Ocean but that doesn’t mean you could actually walk on it! No, it is simply an engaging way of describing sea areas where marine currents concentrate enormous quantities of tiny pieces of plastic waste like the ingredients of a vast inedible soup.Xavier, education officer

THE TEAM!

YUK!

Anna

a) 507 days, b) the managing director

SIMULATION OF HOW PLASTICS COULD SPREAD © Mercator

ORGANISMS ATTACHED TO PLASTIC © N.Sardet / Tara Expeditions Foundation

COUNTING PLASTIC IN A SAMPLE © Y.Chavance / Tara Expeditions Foundation

PLASTIC WASTE IN A HARBOUR © N.Pansiot / Tara Expeditions Foundation

ONE OF THE CREWS DURING THE EXPEDITION TARA OCEANS POLAR CIRCLE © Y.Chavance / Tara Expeditions Foundation

Martin

Eric Dan

Romain

Philippe Brigitte

Crew of the Tara - bit.ly/equipetara Oceans aren’t a rubbish dump - bit.ly/mtaterreoceanspoubelle

Sam

Spencer

Marion

The Crew of the Tara Plastic, a public enemy!

PLASTICPLASTIC

Tara News Junior No. 3 TA R AJ U N I O R .O R G - 1312

- Avoid buying water in plastic bottles and drink tap water instead wherever possible. Currently 270,000 tonnes of plastic waste are floating in the Ocean. Recycle as much as possible and reduce your reliance on plastic packaging by, for example, using a flask or a water jug!

- Tell smokers not to drop their cigarette butts on the floor at the beach or even in town because they contain plastic filters and the rain can wash them into the Ocean. There are some really smart pocket ashtrays available!

- Don’t flush plastic down the toilet because that route leads straight to the Ocean. There are lots of little plastic sticks floating in the sea which were once cotton buds that people dropped into the loo!

- Clean up plastic from the beach. Not only is plastic dangerous for sea mammals, once it gets broken down into small pieces it can enter the food chain when fish eat it... and who eats the fish? We do!

- Make sure the personal hygiene products you use do not contain plastic. More and more toothpastes, skin creams and shower gels contain minute plastic balls and these are found in massive quantities on the surface of the Ocean.

- Take part in group activities such as big beach-cleaning operations. Give it a try, you’ll see it’s really good fun working all together!

> YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!SIX WAYS TO HELP REDUCE PLASTIC

IN THE OCEAN

Time to stop plastic pollution!

PLASTIC TRAVELS

Because the wind blows plastic litter from the land into the river.

Because waste and pollutants in the river flow straight into the sea.

Because plastic dropped into the sea spreads out into the Ocean.

Because some use the Ocean like an immense rubbish dump.

Because bad habits repeated millions of times can have serious consequences.

For all these reasons and more, we must stop using the Ocean as a waste container.

> AFTER COLLECTING WATER FROM EVERY PART OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

THE TARA CAN CONFIRM THAT ALL HER 200 SAMPLES CONTAINED PLASTIC!

ALL PLASTIC COMES FROM THE LAND

HAPPY FISHING!

Did you know?To collect samples correctly, you must always follow the same procedure. It’s essential if you want to compare the results. That’s why scientists write down precise instructions. They call it a ‘ protocol’.

Chris, biologist

YUP!

Find the answers!

A) What do we call the special plastic-catching net?

B) How many samples collected during the expedition Tara Mediterranean contained no plastic?

C) What types of transport should you use most?

a) manta net, b) none, c) bike, train, your feet

1 – THE MANTA NET IS TOWED BEHIND THE BOAT AT SLOW SPEED AND THEN HOISTED ABOARD AFTER ONE HOUR. © A.Deniaud / Tara Expeditions Foundation

3 – EACH CATCH IS PHOTOGRAPHED.THE RESULTING IMAGES CAN BE ANALYSED BY MACHINE.© F.Aurat / Tara Expeditions Foundation

2 – SCIENTISTS CAREFULLY PROCESS THE CATCH BY HAND.© Y.Chavance / Tara Expeditions Foundation

Surfrider initiatives for the ocean - bit.ly/oceansinitiativesVideo: trawling for plastic - bit.ly/taramediterraneeplastiques

On land or sea, plastic roams free!

Trawling for plastic

Tara News Junior No. 3 TA R AJ U N I O R .O R G - 1514

‘The Ocean is sick’

Legal information: Free newspaper published by the Tara Foundation – 11 boulevard Bourdon, 75004 PARIS, France – +33 (0)153 384489 – contact@taraexpeditions.orgArtistic director and layout: Valentine Petit Morin – Lïor Attia, Le Design c’est l’Aventure, ledesigncestlaventure.com

Legal representative and director of the publication: Étienne Bourgois – Coordinators: Xavier Bougeard, Élodie Bernollin – Editorial assistants: Johanna Sanson, Hélène Marchand – Authors: Anna Deniaud, Xavier Bougeard – Translation: Graham macLachlan – Illustrations: Jean-Yves Duhoo – Scientific coordinator: Chris Bowler (TBC) – Printer: Roto Champagne – Publication date and legal deposit:

Copyright: N. Pansiot: Étienne (p. 2), Martin (pp. 2, 10), Sam (pp. 3, 10), Jean-François Ghiglione (p. 11); E. Cavalin: Xavier (pp. 4, 11); S. d’Orgeval: Hervé Legoff (p. 6); F. Latreille: Éric Karsenti (pp. 8, 10); S. Plane: Serge Plane (p. 9); Tara Expeditions: Anna, Brigitte, François (p. 10), Chris Bowler (p. 12), Élodie (p. 14); Y. Chavance: Spencer, Daniel, Marion (p. 10); V. Hilaire: Romain (p. 10); A. Recoules: Philippe (p. 10);

L. Bourgois: Ban Ki-moon (p. 15); C. Moulin: André (p. 15).

LET’S GO!

– Avoid travelling by car and use your bike, the train or your feet instead.– Consume less water when you have a shower and less energy by turning off unnecessary lights.– Don’t drop litter, especially plastic.– Sort your rubbish carefully to recycle as much as possible.– Eat produce that is local and seasonal (strawberries in winter is a no-no) and,

if possible, free of pesticides* (it’s better for your health).

This list is far from complete.Talk about these issues with your friends and family, and come up with new ideas.You can even send your ideas to Tara Expeditions!contact@expeditions.org

TARANAUTS NEVER ACT ALONE! Taking action on your own is good but group action is always much more effective to bring about change. You too can call politicians to account and draw their attention to environmental problems or push them to find solutions! Talk with your mates at school and come up with ways of making things better, such as organizing a petition on the Internet, writing letters, or making posters with provoking messages!

POLITICIANS HAVE ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY AND MUST ACT!

- Develop sustainable technologies that use non-polluting energy such as wind, sunlight and tides. For example, they can build wind turbines and run electric buses in town.- Encourage sustainable agriculture by serving organic food in school canteens. - Tax polluters so they clean up their act. Travelling by train should cost less than by plane.- Build more recycling centres, and they create jobs too!- Protect freshwater from pollution, including groundwater, and use less.- Create green areas in cities.

If everybody did the right thing in their daily lives, the oceans would be safe. They would continue to keep the climate in balance and provide us with delicious food to eat. A healthy Ocean is the basis for a healthy planet!

> WHETHER THEY ARE LOCAL LEADERS OR HEADS OF STATE, ALL DECISION-MAKERS CAN DO THEIR BIT FOR THE PLANET.THEY CAN CREATE NEW LAWS AND DECIDE TO:

* Chemical product that protects plants but is polluting.

> YOU CAN DO MANY THINGS TO HELP

PROTECT OUR PLANET AND OUR OCEANS.Here is a list of everyday actions to do with family, friends or schoolmates which are beneficial for the Earth and the Ocean.

During the Paris climate conference in 2015 (COP21) Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, came to visit the Tara and ten young Taranauts got the chance to speak with him! On the schooner they discussed the future of the Earth and the Ocean. The young Taranauts asked him what he and the other decision-makers were going to do.After talking about plastic in the sea, warmer oceans, rising sea levels and the risks affecting the inhabitants of small islands, Ban Ki-moon concluded:‘The Ocean is sick. The United Nations wants you, our children, to inherit a sustainable and healthy planet’.

Did you know?The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose purpose is to promote peace throughout the world. In addition to protecting people the UN strives to protect the environment.

André, political officer

MAKE

THEM!

Find the answers!

Give examples of non-polluting and sustainable energies.

Sunlight, wind, tides, marine currents

Did you know?If all the humans alive today ate as much as people do in France then the Earth would have to be more than twice its size!

Brigitte, education officer

‘THERE IS NO PLAN B, BECAUSE THERE IS NO PLANET B’BAN KI-MOON, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

CLEANING BIZERTE BEACH IN TUNISIA.© N.Pansiot / Tara Expeditions Foundation

BAN KI-MOON, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS, TALKING TO CHILDREN ABOARD THE TARA.© Maeva Bardy / Tara Expeditions Foundation

LEARNING AND CURIOSITY LEAD TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE.© P. de Parscau / Tara Expeditions Foundation

Eco-friendly ideas - bit.ly/mtaterreecogestes COP21 report - bit.ly/mtaterrebilancop21

You too can act to save the Earth and the Ocean!

Aboard the Tara with the head of the United Nations

Tara News Junior No. 316

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TARA NEWS JUNIOR IS PUBLISHED WITH THE SUPPORT OF